


Finding the Right Chord

by ATTHS_TWICE



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Guitars, Light Angst, Music, Pre-Season/Series 10, Prompt Fic, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:00:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27212317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATTHS_TWICE/pseuds/ATTHS_TWICE
Summary: Mulder picks up an old purchase, finding the effect of it is one he did not expect, but is most welcome.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	Finding the Right Chord

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sugarskullzd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarskullzd/gifts), [xfilesobsession](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xfilesobsession/gifts).



> This story came about for a couple of reasons. One- I had been thinking of it for awhile now, and two- I saw a tweet and it pushed the idea ahead. I had a lot of fun with it and I hope you enjoy it. ❤️

_May 2017_

He had bought it as a joke years ago, bringing it home to see Scully’s reaction. She had laughed and then shaken her head, knowing it would be one more thing that sat in their home collecting dust. 

For the most part, that was what it had done, sitting in a corner of his office, a sweatshirt thrown over it one day after a run. He would glance at it from time to time, deciding that would be the day he would pick it up and actually use it. 

But then, an email would come in, or an article would grab his attention and it would once more be forgotten. 

One night, as he was alone in the house, the silence pressing in on all sides, he stood in the office he no longer used, the desk now sitting in the living room. He looked around the room at his past, at the things that had seemed so important and he shook his head. 

He sighed at the numerous articles thumbtacked to the wall, the blurry photos of “evidence,” and the piles of papers containing within them the obsession that had caused Scully to finally leave him, the weight of it becoming too heavy for her to bear. 

Shaking his head again, he turned to leave, when his eyes fell onto the item in the corner. Stepping into the room, he moved things out of the way and picked it up. Leaving the room, he walked into the kitchen and wiped off the dust that had settled upon the guitar he had bought as a corny joke. 

Staring at it, he let out a deep breath. He had never played an instrument. Well, not in any serious way. There had been music class in elementary school when he had learned to read music and play what was in the classroom, but nothing after it in his adult life. 

He held the guitar and strummed it, not knowing if it was even in tune after years of not being used. Messing with it, he tried to see if it changed much, but he shook his head, not hearing a marked difference. 

Walking around the house he played it, finding he enjoyed the feel of the strings beneath his fingers. He stepped out onto the porch and sat on the railing, looking out at the sunset as he played a random tune, liking what he had created. 

As the sun went down fully, he stopped playing and set the guitar beside him on the porch. Crossing his arms, he looked into the empty house, wishing Scully was there, coming out and giving him a look as she saw the guitar. She would have something witty to say, something he would counter as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. 

“God,” he said quietly, shaking his head and standing up, he grabbed the guitar and headed inside, missing her greatly. 

_____________________

_September 2017_

“What’s that doing out here?” Scully said, as she set a case file down on the kitchen table. 

“Hmm?” he asked, glancing at a photo in the file. 

“Mulder,” she said and he glanced up to find her pointing at the guitar. “Is that the same one you bought years ago. I didn’t even know you still had it. Are you… playing it?” She looked at him and he saw something cross her face that he could not place. 

“Playing it would imply that I know what I’m doing. So… no,” he said with a laugh and she nodded with a smile, the expression he had seen no longer there. 

“Are you going to take lessons? Or just… wing it?” He looked at her and saw that she was serious and not teasing him as he thought she would. 

“Lessons? No. I… I don’t think I would do well in lessons.” He smiled at her and she nodded, her smile changing and her eyes shining. 

“Wouldn’t take too well to an authority figure?” 

“Ha ha. You’re hilarious, Agent Scully,” he said, handing her the file as they sat down. “I don’t know, I brought it out here… months ago. I had forgotten it was there, to be honest.” She nodded and any further discussion of the guitar halted. 

After she left, with plans to fly out to Montana in the morning to investigate the case deeper, he looked at the guitar and made a decision. He _would_ attempt to learn how to play, even though it would be slow going. 

___________________

_January 2018_

“So… I see the guitar is still sitting out here,” Scully said, as he took the Bigfoot mold of most likely _not_ taint flavored Goop-O into the kitchen. He smiled as he set it down and turned to look at her. 

“It is,” he responded and she nodded with a smile. 

“Have you learned to play anything? Or does it just sit there and look pretty?” 

“No. The only thing that sits and looks pretty in this house is you,” he quipped with a wink and she rolled her eyes. He grinned and she crossed her arms as she leaned back against the couch. 

“So, you _haven’t_ learned to play anything then?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t say that.” He smiled and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. 

“Play me something,” she said with a shrug and he nodded, walking out of the kitchen. 

“I can’t play you _some_ thing, I can only play _one_ thing. For now, anyway.” Picking up the guitar, he walked over to her. “I looked for a tutorial online and found that this song was the easiest to learn.” 

“Wait,” she said, sitting forward and staring at him. “You _really_ learned a song? I was just joking around with you. I didn’t expect you to _actually_ know a song.” 

“Oh ye of little faith,” he said with a smile, sitting on the coffee table and taking the pick from the guitar. He strummed a few chords and her mouth dropped open, watching his hands and then looking at him, her eyes wide. 

“Now… like I said,” he told her, tuning the guitar and playing the chords again. “It’s the only one I know and it took a little while to learn, so… no encores, okay? No calling out for “ _Freebird”_ or anything.” He grinned at her and she nodded, her elbows on her knees and her hands folded against her lips. 

Clearing his throat, he started to play, humming before he closed his eyes and began to sing softly. 

_Won't you let me catch your fall_   
_Won't you let me lend a hand_   
_Those lonely eyes have seen it all_   
_But love's too blind to understand_   
_Cause you don't know what you have_   
_Til your everything is gone_   
_You need someone to show you how to live again_

_I wanna be there when you're feeling high  
_ _I wanna be there when you wanna die_  
 _I'm gonna light your fire_  
 _I’m gonna fuel your flame_  
 _I wanna be there when you go insane_  
 _I wanna be there when you're feeling down_  
 _And I'll be there when your head is spinnin' round_  
 _Gonna be your lover_  
 _Gonna be your friend_  
 _I wanna be there til the end_

He opened his eyes, realizing now how the words of the song sounded as he sang them _to_ her and not just as he had learned the chords. 

“I uhh,” he said, putting the pick back and setting the guitar down. “I think I could still do with a little practice.”

He smiled as he looked up at her and saw she had tears in her eyes. Shaking her head, she wiped them away and took a deep breath. 

“Please keep going,” she whispered and he stared at her. She nodded and smiled slightly, bumping his knees with her own and breathing deeply again. 

He nodded and picked up the guitar, strumming it as he began to sing again, keeping his eyes on hers, knowing the words that were coming and not wanting to hurt her or cause her to walk out the door. 

_You wouldn't know that I was there_   
_Cause I have been there all the time_   
_And if I had my way I'd hold you in my arms_   
_And leave this madness all behind_   
_Cause you got so much to give_   
_But you throw it all away_   
_And all you got to show for who you are is pain_   
_And I've got so much to give_   
_If you'd only let me in_   
_I'm gonna take the time to show that I'm a friend_   
_You'll believe in love again_

_I wanna be there in the pouring rain_   
_I wanna be there when you call my name_   
_I’m gonna light your fire_   
_I’m gonna fuel your flame_   
_I wanna be there when you go insane_   
_I wanna be there when I'm outta town_   
_And when your damn world is crashing down_   
_I'm gonna be your lover_   
_Gonna be your friend_   
_I wanna be there till the end_

She put her hands on the guitar and stopped him from playing, taking it from him and laying it on the couch. He licked his lips, worried that the positive steps they had taken recently were all for naught and she was upset with him. 

“Scully, I-”

But then she was in his lap, kissing him, her hands in his hair. He gripped her waist, holding her close as their kiss deepened, his hands sliding under her shirt and stroking her skin. 

They never made it farther than the floor in front of the couch, not even taking the time to remove all of their clothing. She still wore her bra and his pants and boxers were bunched around his knees. 

“So…” he said, breathing hard as he lay on top of her. “You liked the song?” She laughed, her fingernails scratching at his back a little harder than she normally did. 

“Hmm,” she hummed, tugging at his hair. He lifted his head and looked at her, finding her smiling. “I loved it. Remind me later that we should keep a lighter on hand.” 

“Oh, I don’t think we need a lighter. You got plenty hot enough.” He grinned at her and she laughed. 

“That I did,” she agreed, staring into his eyes and stroking his face. “You should have learned to play that guitar _years_ ago.” He chuckled and laid his head back against her neck, his lips at her throat. 

“If I had known that musicians did it for you… well,” he whispered, placing open mouthed kisses on her pulse point, his teeth scraping gently. 

“Hmm… no need to worry, I’ll make you a list of other songs to make up for it. Maybe some Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young…” 

_“Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry. So just look at them and sigh and know they love you,”_ he sang quietly and she moaned, her fingernails pressing into his neck. 

“Jesus, Mulder,” she whispered and he chuckled softly, kissing her throat again, as any other songs or artists were momentarily forgotten. 

_____________________

_May 2019_

Mulder sat on the top of the porch stairs, the spring sun setting as he tuned the guitar that had sat unused for nearly a year. With the pregnancy and then taking care of a newborn, the guitar had once more been a dust collector more than a musical instrument. 

He smiled as he played the chords of a new song he had looked up, finding it not too difficult. Trying it out again, he sang the song quietly, trying to get it right before he would sing it for Faith tomorrow. 

The screen door creaked open and he looked up and saw Scully standing there staring at him. She shook her head and closed the door gently. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, walking over and sitting beside him on the stairs. He smiled and played the song softly. 

“I was thinking about our trip to the duck park a few days ago and then I saw the guitar sitting there and well…” He shrugged and looked down at the guitar, strumming a few chords and then looking at her. 

“I don’t know if you’ve really thought this through, if I’m being completely honest with you,” she said and he grinned, knowing exactly what she meant and knowing _she_ knew that he knew. 

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he said however, giving her a confused look and she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m simply learning to play a song for our daughter, one about ducks who get lost but eventually find their way back home, right where they are supposed to be.” 

“Jesus,” she growled and he moved the guitar just before she lunged at him, her lips crashing into his as he caught her around the waist, her knees hitting the porch as she straddled him. He laughed as he pulled back and shook his head. 

“So, are you trying to tell me that if I play the guitar for Faith, in a _completely_ innocent way, this will happen?” He smiled, holding her tightly as she breathed deeply and sat back on his legs. 

“Well… not _directly_ in front of her, but just know that as soon as she is down for a nap, or in bed for the night, I will be coming for you.” 

“So many responses I could make,” he murmured and she laughed, leaning closer to kiss him, her fingernails scratching lightly along his neck. 

She pulled back and he smiled as she kissed him gently once more, causing him to moan softly. 

“Do you know the song well enough?” 

“Not quite. I’d like to practice it a bit more, get it perfect before I play it for her tomorrow.” 

“She’s seven months old, Mulder. She won’t know if it’s the best song ever or if you completely mess it up.” She smiled and he nodded with a shrug. 

“But I’ll know,” he said and she exhaled a deep breath with a nod. 

“Fine…” 

Moving from his lap, she picked up the guitar. Handing it to him, she moved across the step, putting some needed space between them. 

“You gonna be okay?” he asked with a smirk as he began to play the song. 

“I’m going to do my very best,” she said, closing her eyes and folding her hands in her lap. He laughed and nodded as he licked his lips. 

“ _Five little ducks went out one day,_ ” he sang quietly, watching the strings as he played. “ _Over the hills and far away. Mother duck said “Quack, quack, quack!”_ ” 

“Nope. I tried,” she said and he looked at her, her eyes flashing fire. “Stop. Put the guitar down. It sounds perfect. We need to get inside. Now.” She stood up, took the guitar from him, and walked into the house. “Now, Mulder.” He grinned and stood up, taking off his shirt as he walked across the porch. 

He opened the screen door and stepped inside of the house, smiling at the sight of her already half naked, and shaking her head at him. He closed the door and locked it, walking toward her as she unbuttoned her pants. 

“I’m sorry you aren’t able to practice the song, but…” 

“I knew it well enough when I read the notes. I didn’t really _need_ to practice it.” She stared at him, her pants halfway down her legs. He winked and she shook her head. 

Stumbling a little as she pulled off her pants, he caught her and they landed heavily onto the couch, with her in his lap. 

“You’re a clever man,” she whispered. 

“Oh, of that Miss Scully, I am very much aware,” he said with a grin, as she once more shook her head, before kissing him thoroughly. 

**Author's Note:**

> The song Mulder learned to play is called “I Wanna Be There” by Blessed Union of Souls. 
> 
> And of course he sings “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young... which Scully seems to be quite happy to hear as she waits on hold in Rm9... 
> 
> I wonder why she likes it so much... 😏


End file.
